Marriage Was The Weapon

CHAPTER FOUR

CASSIAN’S POV

“I have a child.”

My eyes widened in surprise.

“What?!”

She bit her lip nervously. And just for a second, the shape of her mouth, the way her eyes lowered, she reminded me of her.

Of Lilian.

The resemblance hit like a punch. The same lips I used to kiss thoroughly till it became swollen. But this wasn’t her.

“I have a daughter. Her name is Lisa, she’s four years old..” she began

I raised a hand to still her actions.

“Hold on, why didn’t you tell me before?” He asked.

“I didn’t get a chance to and… hold on, would it have made a difference if I had told you?” She said, I watched hurt flash through her facial expression before it was quickly replaced with defiance.

I couldn’t hold back the smile that spread across my lips.

She sent me a disapproving glare.

“What the hell is so funny?” She asked irritated.

I arched a brow in her direction biting back a warning, instead I grabbed her hand tightly and tugged her towards the exit.

“What is..?” She began.

“We’ll discuss this later. Right now, we need to be at my house to introduce ourselves. I think they’ll be starting dinner right around this time” I explained and glanced down at the gold watch on my wrist.

Reluctantly she swallowed her protest and followed me.

I smiled. This marriage was definitely starting off on the right path.

An hour later, we were standing outside my parents house, my mind wandered to all the times that my childhood had brought me to shambles right in front of those doors, memories of when I had left, came flooding back to my mind. When I had stormed out in anger at the way my parents had covered up a crime which I had witnessed.

FLASHBACK

IT WAS A PEACEFUL AFTERNOON which was interrupted by the sheer cry of a woman screaming in pain. It was the sound of my mother who was outside on the phone down on her knees with tears in her eyes. I had approached her and had fallen to my knees to match her height which I knew I was failing at terribly. I had allowed her to cry on my shoulder before she finally spoke.

“Mum, what's wrong?” I repeated.

Minute passed by before she looked up at me.

I was about to open my mouth to speak when she said the words that blew the air right out of me.

“She’s dead”

I frowned in confusion.

“Who’s dead mother?” I asked but deep down somehow I knew. My heart thudded in my chest as I waited for an answer.

“Jessica’s dead” she said frantically rising to her feet. She paced in front of me with her mouth pursed deep in thought.

Then it clicked. My eyes widened in horror.

Jessica was my brother’s girlfriend.

“Mum don’t tell me it’s what I’m thinking.”

The look she gave me told me, it was exactly what I had been thinking.

In all my life, I had known my brother to be a reckless person. But never in a million years have I ever considered that his attitude would lead him to commit murder.

Before I could say anything further, my mother was already pressing buttons on her cellphone.

She brought the phone to her ear in one swoop.

“Hello?” She called as soon as the call connected.

“Yes officer Burbone, I need that favour repaid now”

My frown deepened when I realised what my mother was about to do.

“Yes, the incident happened at…”

I stretched out my hand to grab the phone but my mother was quicker, she sidestepped my actions and walked away from my grasp entirely leaving me standing there in shame and disgust at the mess that my family was about to cover up.

FLASHBACK ENDS

“Cassian?”

I shook my head, breaking out of my internal musings.

She was staring expectantly at me. Her face creased. “Are you okay?” She asked, her voice laced with worry.

I plastered on a fake smile and nodded.

“I’ll be fine. Don’t worry.”

I saw the questions that lingered on her lips but she thought against it and stepped to my side, chest puffed out, a defiant set to her jaw and lips tightening before she said, “Let's go.”

And draped her hand on my positioned elbow before stepping in through the large double doors.

The whole room went silent as soon as they stepped in. It looked more like a wine tasting ceremony than a funeral ceremony.

“Cassian!” My mum called, running over to me from within the crowd almost losing her balance clumsily but I was there to stop her from falling.

“Welcome home,” she slurred out.

Then twirled around with her arms outstretched at her sides.

“Come on let’s merry. It’s a celebration!” She announced.

The crowd cheered and clinked their glasses in a toast.

“My sister died! And here you all are celebrating,” she bursted out in frustration. The whole room went eerily silent again.

My mother walked over to her and eyed her from head to toe with a wealth of disgust.

“And who might you be?” She questioned.

I watched her struggle to speak as her eyes welled up with tears.

I had to step in.

“She’s my wife”

Everyone gasped. I heard a champagne flute shatter on the floor.

The crowd erupted in outrage.

“What?!” My mother yelled, sobering up immediately.

“You heard me mother,” I replied.

“This is my wife and we’re both moving into the mansion,” I replied and grabbed her hand before walking past her, through the next door.

Once we were safely within the confines of my room. I bolted the door and tore off my tie almost like it was a noose tied around my neck.

“We’re going to have to face a lot of questions and tabloids will be eating this up by now but don’t worry, we just have to be prepared and work together and never slip up.”

I plopped on the armchair situated at the far corner of the room and gestured towards the bags that had already been delivered to the room earlier on.

“In the mean time, make yourself at home. You can start unpacking if you’d like. Tomorrow, I’ll have someone go shopping for some new clothes for you.”

Gratefully, she reached for the boxes and began unpacking before a knock on the door sounded. It was a soft rasp at first before it turned into a loud bang. I rose to open the door, already annoyed at whoever was on the other side of the door.

In walked Elijah, his eyes were bloodshot red. His gaze was enough to show the fury on his face.

“What the hell are you thinking little brother?!” He roared, stepping into the room fully now.

“Elijah leave my room “ I ordered.

Elijah gave me a wry smile.

“You’ll have to make me little brother. And you!” He directed his angry gaze to Eliza who was behind him.

“What gave you the right to wedge your way into my family? You think that by getting married to my brother you can get the wealth and power that your stupid sister had craved for? Haven’t you done enough? Both you and your sister have done everything in your power to try to disrupt my life and now you want to reach for my brother?! I won’t allow it!” He shouted and stormed towards her, she took a step back in fear but before Elijah could get to her, I had slid in front of her shielding her from Elijah.

I placed a hand on Elijah’s shoulder with my expression growing stern.

“Take a step back Elijah.” I warned.

But Elijah didn’t listen.“Step back Elijah or else you’ll have me to contend with”

Elijah’s eyes widened as he took a step back. He gave us a bitter smile.

“You’ve really changed little brother. You were never this way. But because of this.. thing”

“She’s my wife and she has a name.” I interjected.

“That’s besides the point!” Elijah shouted.

Eliza jerked.

I felt her gesture and moved closer until my back was completely shielding her from Elijah.

“Don’t think that you can get away with this!” He threatened, directing his pointed finger in Eliza’s direction behind me.

“Elijah leave!”

I roared.

“You’re going to regret ever getting tangled with this family. Your sister got into it and see how she left. Don’t blame me when you’re leaving here in a body bag.” Elijah warned .

It all happened so fast. Before I could comprehend it, Eliza had slipped from behind me and was charging towards Elijah, her hand raised to his cheek in a loud resounding slap.

The whole room went quiet afterwards.

“I’ll make sure you get the punishment that you deserve” she said through gritted teeth, challenging him.

Elijah, ran a hand through his stinging cheek and raised glaring eyes to her.

“ You b***h!” He shouted and pounced like a tiger towards his prey.